A whimper reached Dean's ear, a sound he knew better than the beating of his own heart. A sound that had woken him many times from a dead sleep. A sound he hated, feared, and would always answer. Sammy was here, and in pain.

His head snapped up and he felt himself recoil from the sight before him. There, on the edge of the light, stood Malleaphar. At his right side on all fours was Dean's baby brother, the monster's hand fisted in his hair. Sammy's body was wrecked. Blood dripped from several gaping wounds and his right arm was curled into his chest protectively. The rage surged inside Dean once again. He came to life, fighting, snarling, cursing the demon holding his Sammy.

The demon ignored him, moving instead to the table holding Lisa's body. He saw Sam look up, saw his eyes widen at the site of her, saw him frantically search the room before he found his brother. Dean stilled. He opened his mouth to tell Sammy that it was going to be okay. To quell the fear he saw in his gaze. No sound came out. He couldn't say the words. He knew they were a lie. They would both die here, bloody, like Lisa. He dropped his eyes to the floor.

"Dean?" Came Sammy's voice, quavering, unsure. Dean didn't raise his gaze from the floor. "Dean." Sammy's voice again, stronger this time. Dean heard a thud and a struggle, but didn't look up. "Dean!" Sammy again, urgent, strong. The third time forced him to look into his brother's eyes. The demon had pushed Lisa's body from the table and strapped Sammy in her place. Dean felt terror speed through him, but there was no fear in his brother's gaze. "It's gonna be okay Dean. I'm here."

Malleaphar stopped mid-buckle and stared at the youngest Winchester. Then he threw his head back and laughed. He laughed until he was half bent over Sammy. When he straightened, his eyes glistened. "I had heard so many tails of the famous Winchesters." He paused to wipe a tear from his eye. "Tails of their fearlessness, their self-sacrifice, their bond." He secured the final restraint with a rough tug. "I was starting to doubt them after playing with your brother here Sammy-"

"It's Sam." Sammy interrupted through clenched teeth, his eyes never leaving his brother's.

The demon paused, then moved to his tools. "Forgive me, Sam, I will try to remember." He flashed a smile that Sammy didn't see and placed a hand on one of the cruel hooked knives. "I must admit, Sam, you intrigue me. You should know Dean that your brother seems far more-" He paused, holding the knife up to the torchlight for a moment before shaking his head and replacing it. He picked up another, this one straight and serrated. "-collected." He finished his thought and moved to Sammy's side with his chosen instrument.

"Please," Dean managed to croak out. "please don't hurt him." He looked into Sammy's eyes and tears spilled down his face. Sammy just looked back at him, calm and fearless.

"It's okay Dean." He repeated. "It's gonna be okay. I'm here Dean."

Malleaphar shook his head again and pressed the knife slowly into Sammy's chest. He drew a bright red line against flesh exposed by shredded clothing. Sammy clenched his jaw and refused to scream. Malleaphar smirked. He pulled the remnants of Sammy's shirt aside and pressed the knife in again, this time to his stomach. The knife went deep and Sammy grunted, but he didn't cry out and his gaze never left his brother.

Malleaphar's smile fell. His face contorted into anger and he dug the knife into Sammy's thigh, tearing through muscle, tendon, stopping suddenly when he hit bone. A tear leaked from Sammy's eyes, his body convulsed, he grunted, but still he didn't cry out and his gaze never faltered.

Dean watched, amazed at his baby brother's strength. The demon growled in another tongue. Dean didn't need to know the language to recognize obscenities. He threw the knife at the tray and pulled a sledge hammer from underneath. He hefted it and brought it down on Sammy's knee. Dean cried out, but still Sammy only grunted.

"It's going to be fine Dean." Sammy said again through teeth clenched in pain. "I'm here Dean. We're going to be okay."

The demon howled in rage and brought the hammer down on Sammy's other knee, then his right arm, then his left. Sammy clenched his teeth and his eyes squeezed shut for a moment. When he opened them again he locked to his brother and, through tears, repeated. "It's gonna be okay Dean." A small amount of blood trickled from his mouth and Dean realized he must have bitten through his tongue.

Malleaphar screamed and threw the hammer towards Dean. He heard it whoosh as it went past him and heard it hit the wall and stay there, never falling to the cavern floor. Malleaphar turned to the table and grabbed a small hooked knife. He plunged it into Sammy's leg above the knee and worked it under the skin. With a twist of his wrist he shifted the knife and began to cut the flesh from him. Sammy flinched, he grunted, he bit down on his tongue again and more blood trickled from his mouth, but he did not cry out.

Malleaphar flung the knife at the table, scattering the knives, needles and other wicked instruments of his pleasure to and fro. He grabbed the table and flipped it upside down. Then he turned and walked into the darkness without another word.

Dean let loose a breath he didn't know he had been holding and watched Sammy do the same. "Sammy? You hangin in there bro?" Sammy clenched his eyes shut and nodded, allowing his head to turn towards the ceiling and away from his brother. His body convulsed slightly and he whimpered a little. "Where is Cas? He with you?" Sammy shook his head 'no'. Dean pulled at his bonds, but they didn't budge. He watched Sammy, tried to judge how hurt his brother was. His knees and parts of both arms were crushed. He had a gaping hole in his belly and thigh and cuts just about everywhere else. Even if Dean could free himself there was no way Sammy was walking out of here under his own power, and Dean knew he didn't have the strength to carry him. "Sammy. What are we gonna do?" Sammy shook his head again.

Dean heard a flutter behind him. Sammy opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the sound, only to gape in shock at what he saw. Dean tried to turn.

"It really is always wrong place, worst time with you muttonheads, isn't it?" Said a familiar voice. Sammy laid his head back on the table and began to laugh.

A/N

I've been thinking long and hard about this story and I've finally come to the decision that it is complete. I might make a sequel later, but for now this story is done. I've tried many different ways of continuing, but none feel as right to me as the ending I currently have.

Thank you to all who have or will read this. A special thank you to those that have reviewed, I appreciate your thoughts. :)